Are you seeking a professional appraisal (also known as manuscript assessments) to gain an objective view of your manuscript?

An appraisal from The MAA will look at different aspects of the style of writing and the structural integrity including (but not limited to) narrative structure, pacing, plot development, characterisation, setting, tone/voice/POV, general writing style, target audience, genre and market competition/expectations.

Our goal is to provide authors with a clear understanding of their manuscript's strengths and weaknesses, accompanied by specific examples, to illuminate the path toward unlocking its full potential.

We kindly ask that you submit a cover letter and synopsis along with your manuscript. By reviewing these additional documents, we can view your submission as a package, considering all relevant content that you would typically submit to a publishing house or agent. We believe these elements are crucial for successful submissions and warrant careful attention.

Please note the following:

• We generally like to read your manuscript ‘cold’ and write our initial report before reading the submitted cover letter and synopsis. We do this in order to produce an appraisal that is as objective as possible.

• While providing feedback on the manuscript itself is our primary objective, we offer commentary on the supplementary documents whenever relevant and dependent on where the narrative is at in its development.

• As each manuscript is unique, our appraisals are tailored to provide comprehensive and relevant feedback specific to your work.

• Our appraisal reports span a minimum of four pages and outline the aforementioned aspects of your manuscript.

• All feedback is consolidated within the report. We refrain from marking up your manuscript with notes, as we convey all necessary information in the report. For detailed page-by-page notes, you may consider opting for a focused appraisal or explore our editorial services.

• We strive to deliver your appraisal within 4-6 weeks.

• It's important to note that the appraisal report is intended to assist you in self-editing and rewriting, rather than promoting your work. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide how or if you incorporate our comments and observations into your manuscript.

For authors who have completed a percentage of their manuscript but seek additional guidance before proceeding, we offer ‘Partial Completion’ appraisal reports also. If you would like to know more about Partial Completion appraisals or Focused Appraisals, please get in touch.

We look forward to working with you and your manuscript to help guide you to your next phase of writing and/or publishing and we are here and happy to help answer any questions you may have.